The parade along the Canyon of Heroes, on Broadway from lower Manhattan’s Battery Park to City Hall, marked the first time any women’s team has been celebrated in the parade.
Advertisement
Hours before hosting a parade for the World Cup champion women’s national team, Mr.de Blasio said that his 17-year-old son, Dante, “has become more and more into soccer, so he has me watching the different games all over the world with him”.
Wearing their medals, players blew kisses and waved to the crowd who responded with chants of “U-S-A, U-S-A!” to fete their heroes’ record third World Cup title and first in 16 years.
The USA women’s team is just the latest in a long line of American and global heroes to be thrown a parade in New York – in fact, they’re the 206th.
And in keeping with the sports theme of the day, parade-goers kept things casual – and comfortable – in a range of athletic sneakers from brands like Converse, Adidas, New Balance and Nike (a fitting choice since the brand sponsored numerous team members). “It was crucial for New York City to honor this extraordinary team”. The ticker-tape parade will be followed by a ceremony at City Hall. The last parade honored the New York Giants for their Super Bowl victory in 2012.
Advertisement
Five days after the USWNT defeated Japan 5-2, Carli Lloyd’s booming goal from halfway across the pitch was still on fans’ minds. “Mayor I can’t even thank you enough for giving us this experience”, she said. Protesters said they would fly a plane overhead and take out ads to criticise Federation Internationale de Football Association for pay discrimination, demanding equal pay for women and men in the sport.
